pt630_belgium
Rookie
Since i listened the podcast, I am very curious about Head.
Will they bring another "modern-classic" like the PT2.0
Will they bring another "modern-classic" like the PT2.0
The Cult of PT57
- Thread starter vsbabolat
- Start date
Seth
Legend
Very interested in this as well. The PT2.0 is a fantastic stick. I would argue that the Agassi Radical from a couple of years ago fits nicely in the modern classic field.
PhilSki
Rookie
Wow! Never knew this, I knew about his custom string drilling pattern, obviously, but had no idea Head does this for him too. His rackets are very unique then, do any other PT57a players have such bespoke details??
dr325i
G.O.A.T.
Custom drill pattern???
A lot of Players on the tour that use PT57A actually use the same 16x19 drill pattern which is identical to MG/IG Prestige Pro or IG Radical Pro (hence TK238A/293A/260A grommets fit).
A few worth mentioning: Popryn, Koepfer, etc.
PhilSki
Rookie
Obviously PT630/PT280 is usually 18x20 but Murray wanted 16x19 as we all know. Up until a few years ago, were the PT57A in 16x19 quite rare?? There seem to be few players who use these now, as you say. So perhaps no longer custom or bespoke.
dr325i
G.O.A.T.
Was not custom though. That pattern was used on many 95 sq in retail sticks as I described above.
You are correct, the retail PT630 only came in 18x20 however, Murray was not using it during those days at all. I believe he started using it with the intelligence PJ first, in 18x20, and at that point, that was “custom” already
dr325i
G.O.A.T.
TK is the vice for mold (and grommets). PT is the layup.
TK57-Ax is correct mold for the racket
PT57A3 is the A3 layup on it - slightly stiffer than the PT630 original one
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
There should be a white label on the racquet under the pallets on the hairpin
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I’ve got an old dude in my bag right nowThese two old dudes just showed up on my porch.
Classic-TXP-IG MID
Hall of Fame
Same here. It's also joined by a yellow and black old dude, and a zebra-looking old dude.
Old dudes everywhere...
Same here, the big green old dude and medium green old dude also joined the party in my bag, too. Lol
moon shot
Hall of Fame
I noticed the old fella without a cap is a bit shorter than the one wearing a cap. It seems someone cut'em down to 26.825" or whatever. This shall be rectified by cutting the pallet slightly longer than the hairpin, I believe my staples will still find carbon so should be fine.
Last edited:
nice pix.I noticed the old fella without a cap is a bit shorter than the one wearing a cap. It seems someone cut'em down to 26.825" or whatever. This shall be rectified by cutting the pallet slightly longer than the hairpin, I believe my staples will still find carbon so should be fine.
i need to re-arrange a couple bags, maybe this weekend. i will try to take pix of the old boys too
marxknight
Rookie
Continuing the old dude trend, mine unfortunately started to get really old and frail
initialize
Hall of Fame
I have a few 57As coming my way, and I've never used one before. What are some good strings and tensions you guys recommend for this racket?
Erhard
Rookie
M: Babolat Touch VS 1,25mm (Manually pre-stretched) 22,5kp
C: Luxilon Alu power Rough 1,25mm 22,0kp
4 pcs Power Pads
Stringing Machine: Tecnifibre ERGO Pro ATP
DT, ERT300: 32
DT, RDC: 50
Last edited:
GuilhermeG
Rookie
Food for thought: can a PT57E start to feel like a PT57A after years of stringing?
I've had a couple PT280 MIA in the past, but sold them because I felt like they lacked power. My i. prestige's felt better on that aspect, so I kept them.
Now, some 5 years later, I've started missing a little bit of oomph on my shots. I still love the precision and comfort my racquets provide, but ouch it is tough to hit a winner that I know my opponent won't be able to reach (I play mostly on clay).
What do you think?
Should I be blaming my racquets being ~5 years older or my body for being equally older?
I've had a couple PT280 MIA in the past, but sold them because I felt like they lacked power. My i. prestige's felt better on that aspect, so I kept them.
Now, some 5 years later, I've started missing a little bit of oomph on my shots. I still love the precision and comfort my racquets provide, but ouch it is tough to hit a winner that I know my opponent won't be able to reach (I play mostly on clay).
What do you think?
Should I be blaming my racquets being ~5 years older or my body for being equally older?
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
It’s you. Drop your tensionFood for thought: can a PT57E start to feel like a PT57A after years of stringing?
I've had a couple PT280 MIA in the past, but sold them because I felt like they lacked power. My i. prestige's felt better on that aspect, so I kept them.
Now, some 5 years later, I've started missing a little bit of oomph on my shots. I still love the precision and comfort my racquets provide, but ouch it is tough to hit a winner that I know my opponent won't be able to reach (I play mostly on clay).
What do you think?
Should I be blaming my racquets being ~5 years older or my body for being equally older?
rafa_prestige89
Professional
I‘ve been using mine for 3 years (it’s true that I have 7 racquets, one that I bought last year), playing 5 times a week at least , and when I measured their RA last year it was still 63, just like when they were new.Food for thought: can a PT57E start to feel like a PT57A after years of stringing?
I've had a couple PT280 MIA in the past, but sold them because I felt like they lacked power. My i. prestige's felt better on that aspect, so I kept them.
Now, some 5 years later, I've started missing a little bit of oomph on my shots. I still love the precision and comfort my racquets provide, but ouch it is tough to hit a winner that I know my opponent won't be able to reach (I play mostly on clay).
What do you think?
Should I be blaming my racquets being ~5 years older or my body for being equally older?
GuilhermeG
Rookie
rafa_prestige89
Professional
Didn't you switch to the Gravity Pro?
GuilhermeG
Rookie
I had, but my right shoulder started feeling sore after playing and I didn't want to risk an injury.
I guess the SW was a little bit too much, or the headsize was too big... I'm not sure what was the problem. Anyway... sold both GPro's and went back to my beloved prestiges.
I guess the SW was a little bit too much, or the headsize was too big... I'm not sure what was the problem. Anyway... sold both GPro's and went back to my beloved prestiges.
HeadClassic
Rookie
Well folks, I've been hitting with my PT57A 16x19 for a couple of months now at a lower weight to try out the new trend (Popyrin/Karatsev) of 338g strung. I've been playing terrible. It had seemed as if my backhand slice and volley disappeared.
Well, last week I bumped up the weight to 360g strung adding tape to 3 and 9. What a dream. Suddenly I have a backhand slice and I can volley again. My serve is more massive. Sweet spot is better with the added tape. By the way, I also play with tape underneath the bumper lining all the way around the top from 3 to 9. I don't know my swingweight, but I'm guessing it's easily 350+ I love it!
It's official. From now on, I will always play PT57A weighted up.
Well, last week I bumped up the weight to 360g strung adding tape to 3 and 9. What a dream. Suddenly I have a backhand slice and I can volley again. My serve is more massive. Sweet spot is better with the added tape. By the way, I also play with tape underneath the bumper lining all the way around the top from 3 to 9. I don't know my swingweight, but I'm guessing it's easily 350+ I love it!
It's official. From now on, I will always play PT57A weighted up.
ChrisG
Professional
Dropping the tension as @vsbabolat said is the right move. I've strung mine at 20kg on a dropweight with poor flying clamps, so they feel more like 17-18kg. I have short grommet on 3 and Caps on the other 2. I love Tourna silver 7 tour on the I.prestige. crispiness and bite is a good combination to add to the PT57E.Food for thought: can a PT57E start to feel like a PT57A after years of stringing?
I've had a couple PT280 MIA in the past, but sold them because I felt like they lacked power. My i. prestige's felt better on that aspect, so I kept them.
Now, some 5 years later, I've started missing a little bit of oomph on my shots. I still love the precision and comfort my racquets provide, but ouch it is tough to hit a winner that I know my opponent won't be able to reach (I play mostly on clay).
What do you think?
Should I be blaming my racquets being ~5 years older or my body for being equally older?
GuilhermeG
Rookie
I've strung mine exactly at 20kg, and it feels great indeed! Felt like the sweetspot also had a noticeable increase (much more than I predicted).
I'm even considering an even lower tension next time, but first I'm checking how long this stringjob will last.
ChrisG
Professional
You’re right regarding the sweet spot, it feels like it get bigger. Personally I never break strings but I think lower tension allows a better durability
Hello fellow pt57'ers I got a mystery for you.
So I got two 16X19 PT57S, but when I was stringing them, I realized one is different than the other.
Now I'm not sure if it's actually a different prostock, or maybe just customized for someone else.
Both are prestige paint job without the mp/pro etc.
If you look at the top strings the cross starts sooner. And head shape looks a little different. I got the one without the lead tape as a hairpin, so am pretty certain about that one.
The racket with the tape has a throat code. Anywhere I can check that?
It is 1295020.
The one I got as a hairpin doesn't have a throat code.
Before I go and remove the pallet, thought i'd check here.
I put them next to my head tt candycane for comparison.
So I got two 16X19 PT57S, but when I was stringing them, I realized one is different than the other.
Now I'm not sure if it's actually a different prostock, or maybe just customized for someone else.
Both are prestige paint job without the mp/pro etc.
If you look at the top strings the cross starts sooner. And head shape looks a little different. I got the one without the lead tape as a hairpin, so am pretty certain about that one.
The racket with the tape has a throat code. Anywhere I can check that?
It is 1295020.
The one I got as a hairpin doesn't have a throat code.
Before I go and remove the pallet, thought i'd check here.
I put them next to my head tt candycane for comparison.
Note the different head sizes
That makes sense, Any idea what it might be? Or how I can figure it out?
Erhard
Rookie
Take a look at the Racquet side. What is printed on it: Prestige MP, Pro, Tour?
For example, if the above racket is a PT57 then only "Prestige" is printed on it.
For Retail Racquets, see racquet specifications for comparison:
https://www.head.com/de_DE/tennis/racquets.html
There is nothing printed. Just prestige. And it has a throat code. I think it is a prostock for a different racket.
I have been comparing it to pictures of rackets, can't find one woth the top cross starting so high up.
Erhard
Rookie
Congratulation, you are a owner of a rare 16x19 HEAD Pro Stock Racquet!
H22 fan
Semi-Pro
Isn’t the 360+ mp in 16x19 the Tgt 345.2?
Only seen the 16x19 with that string spacing on Stepanek frames before his retirement.
H22 fan
Semi-Pro
Easiest way to find out is by removing the pallets.
edelp
Semi-Pro
yes, true, did not pay attention to the string pattern, should be 345.2 in 16x19, you are right.
True, I might do that if I can't figure out what it is. It has been difficult for me to get the pallet to stick after removing. I don't have a staple gun. I tried glue + electrical tape and last year I had a racket fly 20 feet in the air on a serve .
FearlessAnimal
Rookie
I never use staple gun; instead I use small nails from board pins; works perfectly fine.
Without any glue; just two sided adhesive tape as it's done originally by Head (but less amount to make life easier in case I would like to change pallets again in the future)
Phantasm
Semi-Pro
Been hitting with 16x19 PT57a recently. Probably still in my honeymoon period, but having such a blast hitting with it.
Current specs are 334gm/31.4cm balance and 325 SW.
Definitely lower on the power spectrum compared to some modern frames but far from underpowered. Using gut poly hybrid to get a bit more free power helps too. I get easy depth and surprisingly good topspin/slice on my groundstrokes and serve. The frame definitely gives me the confidence to go for my shots and serves and I definitely can't blame the racquet for my mistakes lol. Haven't hit with my PT630s in a couple years but definitely more forgiving with this with the higher launch angle and bit more free power from the more open pattern. Also doesn't feel like a 95 sq inch, feels bigger when I hit with it sweet-spot wise.
Current specs are 334gm/31.4cm balance and 325 SW.
Definitely lower on the power spectrum compared to some modern frames but far from underpowered. Using gut poly hybrid to get a bit more free power helps too. I get easy depth and surprisingly good topspin/slice on my groundstrokes and serve. The frame definitely gives me the confidence to go for my shots and serves and I definitely can't blame the racquet for my mistakes lol. Haven't hit with my PT630s in a couple years but definitely more forgiving with this with the higher launch angle and bit more free power from the more open pattern. Also doesn't feel like a 95 sq inch, feels bigger when I hit with it sweet-spot wise.
How did you acquire this beauty? The one unicorn I can’t find - PT57a 16x19. Also love the touch prestige paint job.
Unforced Winner
New User
It's findable if you're willing to spend 500-600 (euros/dollars)...
I see them at time on the pro stock website, but yeah they’re always very expensive.
